Paramore Make a Fresh Start with New Sound on ‘After Laughter’

Paramore is making a fresh start after a tumultuous period following the release of their last studio album in 2013. The band’s new album, After Laughter, channels these difficult times, but also evokes hopes for a new future.

In an interview with The New York Times, the band cites Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Cyndi Lauper and Blondie, as influences on the new album.

“We’ve gotten to a point with our new music where we don’t really want to headbang anymore,” York said.

It will be the first release with founding band member Zac Farro since he left the band seven years ago. Singer Hayley Williams revealed it was a difficult process getting to this point, due to various personnel changes, lawsuits and personal issues.

“You can run on the fumes of being a teenager for as long as you want, but eventually life hits you really hard,” Williams explained. “I didn’t even know if we were going to make another record. There was a moment when I didn’t even want it to happen. Then it was like, I want it to happen, but I don’t know how we’re going to do it.”